November 02, 2007

Cabrera Charges Into Lead

The big-hitting Argentine reeled in nine birdies against a lone bogey for a two-day total of eight-under-par 134 at the Sentosa Golf Club’s Serapong Course and leads by two shots from little-known American Jin Park, who returned a 70.

Title-holder Adam Scott of Australia battled into third place with an impressive 67 in a weather-disrupted second round of the star-studded Asian Tour event. A total of 37 players will return tomorrow morning to complete their rounds.

England’s Ryder Cup star Lee Westwood produced a bogey free 67 to lie in fourth position, four off the lead with Australian Gavin Flint (72) while world number two Phil Mickelson of the United States and Fijian Vijay Singh shot 72 and 70 respectively for joint ninth place on 140 with, amongst others, Korea’s Choi Kyung-ju (72) and Filipino Angelo Que (73).

South African Ernie Els, one of the top draws at the Barclays Singapore Open, endured a frustrating 76 for a 148 total where his hopes of a weekend appearance were hanging in the balance. The projected halfway cut is 147.

A quick fix of his driver saw Cabrera bombard the Serapong course with a birdie blitz. The club head had came off during a relatively quiet first round of 71 on Thursday.

“I really hit it well off the tee and made everything that I needed to make and that was the difference,” said Cabrera. “The shaft went off yesterday but they repaired it and it worked very well today. I stroked the ball very solidly, especially on the back nine. I didn’t hole out from long distances, just from makeable distances.”

Cabrera, eighth in last year’s Barclays Singapore Open, gained some measure of revenge after he outscored Els by a massive 14 shots over two rounds as the South African had beaten him in the World Match Play Championship final earlier this month.

Els, runner-up to Adam Scott last year, was a pale shadow of his normal self as he dropped eight bogeys against three birdies. When he finished early in the afternoon, the “Big Easy” was well out of the reckoning for a weekend appearance but could squeeze in if the resumption of play on Saturday sees the remaining players drop shots.

“It’s not the way I wanted to play obviously. I felt good before the round started. I actually birdied my first hole but after that I just couldn’t get it together. I was battling with my swing a little bit and on the greens as well. All in all, it was quite disappointing. I was hoping for better things but that’s golf you know. I tried on every shot, I can promise you that,” said the world number four.

Els reckoned Carbrera could well challenge for supremacy in Serapong and dethrone two-time champion Scott. “He played beautifully. As bad as I played that’s how good he played. He was really on form and just never really missed a shot. With his length, when he hits it dead straight, he’s going to be awfully hard to catch this weekend. He’s playing beautifully,” said Els.

Scott was delighted with his inward 32 courtesy of four birdies. “It was good to pick up a few shots. Obviously, eight under was the target to get to and picking up four on the back nine was good as it put me right in the tournament,” said the Australian.

“He’s (Cabrera) out there leading and it’s always harder to lead than come from behind. Tomorrow is going to be a big day to stay with the leaders. Previously, the third round has always been good to me.”

The talented world number six is slowly renewing his love-affair with the revamped Serapong Course, saying he needed to roll in a few more putts as he chases a record third victory at the Barclays Singapore Open.

“I think I have a good handle for it. The greens are still completely different and a few putts fooled me out there. I still feel comfortable out here. I know the lines off the tee and what I need to do. It’s just a matter of having a good weekend on the greens,” said Scott.

The unheralded Park, playing in his rookie year on the Asian Tour, extended his glorious run against the star names, adding a 70 to his opening 66 to lie two back from Cabrera. Two 20-foot birdie conversions on the seventh and 15th holes against a lone bogey on the ninth maintained his superb run in Asia’s richest national Open.

“I played really well again today. The last two days were really stress-free because I was hitting a lot of fairways. I had 32 putts today which is a lot but I still shot under par, which means I hit a lot of greens. So I’m very pleased with my round,” said Park.

Park safely negotiated the US Qualifying School Stage One last week and is hoping to see the form carry through the weekend. “But playing near the lead in a prestigious tournament like this is really unfamiliar territory for me but I think good golf takes care of all the pressure so I hope to continue the way I’ve been playing,” he said.

In a rare foray into Asia, the left-handed Mickelson said he needs to swing it better to catch the leaders. “I’m only six back with two rounds to go and I think I’ve got some work on the range. I didn’t strike the ball the way I wanted to though I made some good putts coming down the stretch to keep me in it,” said the three-time Major champion.

“He (Angel Cabrera) played a great round today and it’s out there. You can hit five, six or seven under par. Adam Scott played a solid round of four under par and made it look very easy. But I need to strike it well,” said Mickelson.

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